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Acura may go all AWD in bid to mimic Subaru's success

Acura's struggles have been well publicized. The Honda-owned luxury brand doesn't seem sure of where it's going or what it's trying to accomplish, with its cars and marketing lacking a coherent theme. Now, a new report from Automotive News claims that the brand could follow the success of Subaru and (to a lesser extent) Audi, and adopt all-wheel-drive as standard across its model range.
"I think that's the way we should go," Acura boss Koichi Fukuo told Automotive News.
Acura already offers some form of all-wheel drive on every vehicle in its line aside from the lamentable ILX sedan. That could change as Acura begins rolling out next-generation versions of its still relatively new stable of sedans and crossovers.

Honda profit declines on semiconductor crunch and raw material costs

TOKYO — HondaÂ’s fiscal first quarter profit fell 33% from last year as a global computer chip shortage, a pandemic-related lockdown in China and the rising costs of raw materials hurt the Japanese automaker. Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. reported Wednesday that its profit totaled 149.2 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in the April-June quarter, down from 222.5 billion yen ($1.7 billion) a year earlier. Quarterly sales slipped 7% to 3.8 trillion yen ($28 billion). Honda kept its profit forecast for the full fiscal year through March 2023 unchanged at 710 billion yen ($5.3 billion). The semiconductor shortage has hurt all the worldÂ’s automakers, including Honda, despite strong demand, and the manufacturers have been scrambling to secure alternative suppliers. Honda, which makes the Accord sedan, Odyssey minivan and Civic compact, sold about 815,000 vehicles last quarter, down from 998,000 vehicles the same period a year earlier. Auto sales dropped in almost all regions around the world, including Japan, the U.S. and Europe. “I ask for the understanding from all those who are still waiting for their vehicles and vow that our whole company is doing its utmost to make the deliveries even a day sooner,” Chief Financial Officer Kohei Takeuchi said. Takeuchi said the semiconductor shortage curtailed motorcycle production as well as car production, adding to uncertainty about future prospects. Honda said the recent lockdown in Shanghai was among the causes of the shortage in computer chips supply but declined to give specifics. Although U.S. sales are potentially facing a dent from recession worries and other economic hardships, Takeuchi acknowledged he was more worried about the shortage problem and producing the cars customers were waiting for. Takeuchi noted that motorcycle sales for the quarter, which grew to 4.25 million motorcycles from 3.88 million a year earlier, were going strong, especially in India. The cheaper yen and cost cuts helped maintain profitability overall, he added. The yen has been at a two-decade low against the U.S. dollar. A cheap yen has historically worked as a boon for exporters like Honda by boosting the value of their overseas earnings when converted into yen. But it also increases costs for imported components and materials. JapanÂ’s top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. reported recently that its fiscal first quarter profit fell nearly 18%. Nissan Motor Co. saw its quarterly profit plunge to less than half of what it was a year earlier.

2022 Acura MDX revealed with official pricing and specs

The 2022 Acura MDX has finally been unveiled in production guise, and no surprise, it looks just like the prototype that was shown a couple months ago. Inside and out, there doesn't seem to be any difference. It also turns out that most of the details given regarding the prototype are the same for the production car. But we do have some more details and specifications, and we even have pricing. The MDX is completely redesigned from the ground-up. It is the first vehicle to use a new platform for light-truck use, and is not shared with the also recently redesigned Acura TLX sedan. There are similarities, though, as the MDX has a double-wishbone front suspension and multilink independent rear suspension as the TLX has. Acura notes that the chassis is the stiffest crossover/SUV chassis the company has ever created. Acura also added larger front brake rotors; they're 1.2 inches larger in diameter. It's a bigger body than the previous MDX, too. It's 2.2 inches longer overall, with a 2.8-inch longer wheelbase. It's 1.4 inches wider than the old model, and is about half an inch taller. The proportions have changed significantly with a longer dash-to-axle ratio that gives the new MDX the look of a rear-drive vehicle. The hood is more horizontal, adding length visually. The sheet metal is clean and smooth with only a handful of creases and pieces of trim adorning it. As for the interior, the design is very similar to the TLX and RDX with chunky, curvy panels. Six different leather colors are available, with the selection varying by trim package. Ambient lighting with 27 different color combinations is also available, and besides the combinations based on the drive modes, they're all named after race tracks and roads such as Suzuka and Route 66. Only one seating combination is available and it's unique. Rather than offering a choice of a second-row bench seat or captain's chairs, the new MDX effectively offers both. It has a second-row bench in which the middle seat can fold down to provide a large center console, or it can be removed entirely to provide access to the two-seat third-row bench. This versatility means every MDX can hold seven passengers. The third-row bench has also gained 2.4 inches of leg room, and the seat sits another 1.4-inches off the floor, all of which should make the way-back more comfortable. Not only that, but cargo space has increased.